TOP 10 Film Photography Related Movies
From documentaries to action dramas and romantic comedies, there is no shortage of photography-related movies to watch during confinement. Here are some of the best movies about photography to stream right now. Most of them are available on Amazon Prime Video, which is currently offering new users a 30-day free trial.
Table of Contents
Bill Cunningham New York
A fascinating documentary directed by Richard Press, Bill Cunningham New York portrays the renowned fashion photographer who has been chronicling urban trends for The New York Times style section for more than half a century. This heartwarming movie gives a unique insight into the life of a man obsessively dedicated to his art.
The Mexican Suitcase
In 2007, long lost photographs of three Spanish Civil War photographers—the legendary Robert Capa, David Seymour, and Gerda Taro—mysteriously showed up in Mexico City. The Mexican Suitcase, a riveting documentary directed by Trisha Ziff, looks back at the journey of the 4,500 film negatives from their disappearance in France at the beginning of World War II until their discovery in Mexico decades later.
Photograph
A perfect comfort movie, Photograph is a romantic drama by The Lunchbox director Ritesh Batra. Struggling Mumbai street photographer Rafi asks a student called Miloni to pose as his fiancee to stop his grandmother from pressuring him to get married. What ensues is a charming love story between two characters who create a unique bond despite their incompatible backgrounds.
Manufactured Landscapes
A thought-provoking Canadian documentary directed by Jennifer Baichwal, Manufactured Landscapes centers on photographer Edward Burtynsky’s travels in China where he immortalizes the evidence of the country’s industrial revolution. Burtynsky’s large-scale photographs shot in Super 16mm film question the preconceived notions of environmental ethics and aesthetics.
Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters
Ben Shapiro’s documentary Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters, shot over a decade, follows the life and creative process of the acclaimed photographer famous for his surreal, large-scale images of small-town American life. It is both educational and mesmerizing to watch.
One Hour Photo
One Hour Photo is a critically acclaimed psychological thriller directed by Mark Romanek and starring Robin Williams. A photo technician in a small suburban mall, Sy Parris is fascinated by the Yorkin family who are his regular customers. But when he accidentally discovers that Will Yorkin is having an affair, he decides to intervene and prevent this seemingly perfect family from falling apart.
City of God
City of God, a gripping Brazilian crime drama directed by Fernando Meirelles and shot in one of Rio de Janeiro’s poorest slums was nominated for four Academy Awards. As Rocket, a budding photographer, is documenting drug-related violence using a stolen camera, the ambitious drug dealer José “Zé” Pequeno relies on these photos to increase his fame. The story is based on a semi-autobiographical novel by Paulo Lins, who grew up in and later escaped City of God.
Harrison’s Flowers
A French drama by Elie Chouraqui starring Andie MacDowell, Harrison’s Flowers is a powerful story of a woman whose photojournalist husband has gone missing in the Yugoslavian Civil War in 1991. Accompanied by two other photographers, she sets on a precarious journey through the war-torn country in search of her husband.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Ben Stiller directed and stars in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, a comedy about an unadventurous employee whose job consists of cataloging negatives at Life Magazine. Mitty receives a package of negatives from a photographer Sean O’Connell and a message asking him to use negative #25, the “quintessence of life”, on the cover of the magazine’s last issue. Unable to find the negative, Walter decides to head to Greenland and track down the mysterious photographer.
Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus
A romantic drama directed by Steven Shainberg and starring Nicole Kidman, Fur is loosely based on the life of Diane Arbus, the iconic American photographer best known for portraying marginalized people in the 1960s. In the movie, Arbus is portrayed as a housewife who is working as an assistant to her photographer husband when, inspired by their enigmatic neighbor, she decides to embark on her own artistic journey.
Do you know any other great movies about film photography? Please let us know down below in the comments!
Irma is a freelance travel writer and globetrotter with a passion for cities, architecture, and art. You can find her most days searching for that perfect cup of coffee and planning new adventures.
You may also like
2 Replies to “TOP 10 Film Photography Related Movies”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
You forgot about ” War photographer ” from James Nachtwey
and
” The bang bang club ” about Kevin Carter and his friends
“Blow-Up”
Best photography movie ever